Operating device for operating a counterpoise member,for example a gate or door

ABSTRACT

1,234,990. Door operating mechanism. G. SMAL. 25 July, 1968 [9 Aug., 1967], No. 35486/68. Heading E2M. A door (e.g. an up-and-over door 1 of the type having rollers 2 which run in horizontal guide rails 3 and 4, and rollers 5 which run in vertical guide rails 6 and 7) is joined by a connecting member 10 to a slide 9 which is slidable in a guide rail 8. A motor 18 drives an endless screw 16 (Fig. 5a not shown) which winds a band 14 on to a drum 19. Rigidly attached to the band is a block 13 having a projection 12 which engages with the projection 28 of resilient stop means 11 mounted on the slide 9, continued winding in of the band 14 thus opening the door. When the door is fully opened, the slide 9 abuts against a stop (29, not shown), the projection 12 depresses the projection 28 and the band moves on until the block 13 contacts a lever 31 (Fig. 5a, not shown) which stops the motor. A lock 34 is provided to hold the door closed.

l Feb. 17, 1970 H. c sMAL Filed Aug. 5, 1968 3,495,355 OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISE MEMBER FOR EXAMPLE A GATE OR DOOR i 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q: Maf/vm@ Feb.17,197o SMA' 3,495,355-v NG A NTERPOISE MEMBER FOR EXAMPLE A GATEv ORKDOOR y L. COU

H. c. OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATI .Filed Aug. s, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 17,- 1970 H. c. sMAL 3,495,355

OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISEMEMBER FOR EXAMPLE A GATE 0R DOOR Filed Aug. 5, 1968 v Y I 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 A ,ma U Om .mV/74m QW/ @TR 5N N @N H; sMAL l 3,495,355- l Feb. 17, 1970l OPERATING DEVIGE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISE MEMBER FOR n EXAMPLE A GATE 0R DOOR v 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Aug. s, v196:3

Feb. 17, 1970 3,495,355

OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A couNTERPoIsE MEMBER Fon H. c. SMAL EXAMPLE A GATE 0R DOOR l' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. s, 1968 n n N mm @w @yy/m .MHUIFIIIILMU i' H. c. sMAL Feb. 17, 1970 OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISE MEMBER FOR EXAMPLE A GATE OR DOOR Filed Allg.` 5, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 om om ,QN E N.,

h a uib K K Feb. 1-7, 1970 OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISE MEMBER FOR 4 EXAMPLE AGATE 0R yDOOR Filed Aug. 5, 1968 7 sheets-sheet v United States Patent Office 3,495,355 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 3,495,355 OPERATING DEVICE FOR OPERATING A COUNTERPOISE MEMBER, FOR EXAM- PLE A GATE OR DOOR Henri Christophe Smal, Oupeye, Belgium, assignor to Gilles Smal, Herstel, Belgium Filed Aug. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 750,205 Claims priority, application Belgium, Aug. 9, 1967,

Int. Cl. Ed 15,/38; E05f 15/16 U.S. 'Cl. 49-199 7 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE An operating device for operating a counterpoise member, for example a movable barrier such as a door or gate consisting substantially in combination of a guide to be mounted parallel to the upper guide rails usual in such counterpoise members, a slide movable in the guide connected by a connecting-rod to the counterpoise member, drive and transmission means for moving the slide on the guide and between the transmission means and the slide is provided means for a temporary union of the transmission means and the slide and, at each end of the guide, an end-of-run stop for the slide and a control device for controlling current supply to drive the means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an operating device for operating a counterpoise mem-ber, such as for example a gate or door.

Operating devices for opening and closing counterpoise members generally include a motor operating speed reducing means which, in turn, is arranged to move either a cable or a chain to open or close the counterpoise member. The most .common type of such operating devices has one or more return-pulleys, draw-bars, chains, cables or the like.

Such operating devices, in general, have two major inconveniences; they often require dilicate adjustment and consequently have a tendency to be unreliable in operation; and they are always under stress even when they are not in operation.

The salient object of the present invention therefore, s to provide an operating device for opening and closing a counterpoise member in which the above disadvantages v are minimized or eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Another object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for opening and closing a counterpoise member in which, before opening and after closing the counterpoise member, the device is in a de-activated and detached condition, so that the counterpoise member can be operated (for example by hand) Without necessarily having to actuate the operating device.

According to the present invention, there is provided an operating device for operating a counterpoise member, for example a gate or door, including a `guide mounted on a frame, slide means movably mounted on the guide, a connecting member for connecting the slide to the counterpoise member, slide abutment means capable of engagement with the slide means, drive means for moving the slide abutment means and transmission means for transmitting drive from the drive means to the slide abutment means so that when the drive means is operated the transmission means moves the slide abutment means to engage the slide means and move the slide means on the guide to thereby operate the counterpoise member.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in |which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a counterpoise door having an operating device according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation, viewed in the direction of the arrow F2 of FIGURE l, of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one end indicated by the arrow F3 in FIGURE 2, of the device as shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5a is a cross-section on a larger scale on the line V-V of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5b is a continuation of FIGURE 5a;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section on the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5a;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section on the line VII-VII of FIGURE 5a;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section on the line VIII- VIII of FIGURE 5 b;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-section on the line IX--IX of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a similar view to that of FIGURE 8, but shows the device nearly at one of its two extreme positions;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-section on the line XIXI of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a view shown in the direction of the arrow F12 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is an elevation of the part indicated by the arrow F13 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 14 is a cross-section on the line XIV-XIV of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a cross-section on the line XV--XV of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a plan view shown partly in cross-section of the device near an extreme position with the door shut;

FIGURE 17 is a cross-section on the line XVII-XVII 0f FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to that shown in FIG- URE 17, except that in FIGURE 18 the device is shown in a position at the start of subsequent operating cycle;

FIGURE 19 is a view shown partly in longitudinal cross-section of a guide-rail of the device having a modified slide;

FIGURE 20 is a transverse cross-section of the guide rail having the modified slide; and

FIGURE 21 is a diagrammatic view of the modified slide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGURE 1 there is shown a type of door suitable for being equipped with the operating device according to the present invention. A door 1 is flat and is provided at both of its upper corners with rollers 2 for traversing horizontal guide-rails 3 and 4 respectively, and at both of its lower 'corners with rollers 5 for traversing vertical guide-rails 6 and 7. The present operating device consists substantially in a rail 8 slidably supporting a slide 9 which, in turn, is connected by means of a connecting rod 10 of regulable length to the upper edge of the door 1.

The slide 9 has a resilient stop 11 capable of being engaged by a stud 12 mounted on a lock 13 integral with I. a metallic band 14. Central slots are provided in the band 14 so that the slots are capable of being successively engaged by threads of an endless screw 16 driven by an output shaft of a motor 18 mounted at the end of the rail 8. One end of the band 14 is secured to a spindle of a magazine 19 and the band 14 can be stored in or removed from the magazine 19 by rotating the spindle 20 in the appropriate direction. Alternatively, the band 14 may be an endles band. The band 14 is guided in the rail 8 by means of an internal axial crosswall 21 and linings 22 and 23, which reduce any tendency of the band to buckle so that the band can thus operate both under thrust and drag.

The resilient stop 11 comprises a rod 24 and the ends thereof are the form of eyes in order to receive two bolts 25 and 26 respectively which are screwed into threaded holes in the slide 9. Between the two ends, the rod is in the form of a projection defining two convergent slopes 27 and 28 respectively.

At the end of the rail 8 at which the motor 18 is mounted is a regulable stop 29 against which end 30 of the slide 8 abuts when the slide 9 is in an extreme leftward position as shown in FIGURE 2. Arranged in the path of the lock 13 is a crank lever 31 having a horizontal extension which carries a lever 32. Angular displacements of the lever eifects opening or closing of a microswitch 33.

At the opposite end of the rail 8 is a stop consisting of a lock 34 having jaws 35 and 36 between which a stud 37 at end 38 of the slide 9 is received when the slide is in an extreme rightward position as shown in FIGURES 17 and 18. Arranged in the path of the lock 13 is a crank lever 39 having a horizontal extension which extends through the cross-wall 21 and carries, on

the other side thereof, a lever 40. Rotation of the lever 40 .1.

effects opening or the closing of a microswitch 41. In advance of the lever 39 in a direction along the rail 8 towards the stop 29 and in the path of the lock 13, is a roller 42 freely mounted on an upper end of a lever 43 having its lower end pivotally mounted on a horizontal spindle 44 passing through the cross-wall 21 and the lining 23. On the other side of the cross-wall 21 is mounted on the spindle 44 a lever 45 having its free end provided with a pin 46 which is received in a slot 47 in one end of a lever 48. The other end of the lever 48 is pivoted, as shown at 49, to one end of a lever 50 pivotally mounted at its center about a horizontally extending pin 51. The other end of the lever 50 receives an end of a control cable 52 and the function will be described later. The pin 46 is permanently urged towards the left of the slot 47, as shown in FIGURE 15, by means of a spring 53 extending around two pins 54 and 55 mounted on the lever 48. The pin 51 on which the lever 50 is mounted is formed by one extremity of the control spindle of the lock 34.

In operation, the door is rstly assumed to be closed. Current is transmitted to the motor 18 by the actuation of a key-operated switch (not shown), and the direction of rotation of the motor 18 is determined by the state of the microswitches 33 and 41, with the rst being opened and the second closed. Rotation of the drive shaft of the motor 18 in the appropriate direction effects winding of the band 14 into the magazine 19 and consequently a movement of the lock 13 along the rail 8 towards the motor 18. The lock 13 contacts the roller '42 and pivots the lever 43 rwhich effects an angular displacement of the lever 45. By means of the pin 46, the movement of the lever thus eiects movement of the lever 48 which, in turn, rotates the lever about the pin 51 to unlock the jaws 35 and 36 of the lock 34. Winding in of the band 14 causes the stud 12 to engage the slope 27 of the rod 24, so that the slide 9 is moved with the band 14 and thus draws the connecting rod 10 therewith for opening the door 1. As the slide 9 approaches the end of the rail 8 towards the motor 18, the end 30 of the slide 9 contacts the regulable stop 29 and is thus immobilized. The lock 13 integral with the band 14 continues to move in a direction towards the motor 18 and thus stud 12 clears the elastic stop 11 by temporarily deforming the rod 24, thereby pushing the stop 11 downwards until the stud 12 has cleared the stop, and the rod then returns to its normal shape. Upon clearing, the stop 11, the lock 13- continues to move along the rail 8 until it comes into contact with the lever 31 to rock the lever 31, 'which in turn, pivots the lever 32 to close the microswiteh 3-3. The current supply to the motc-r 18 is thus cut-off by the microswitch and the moving band 14 stops. The same operations are effected in reverse order when the door is to be closed. Current is again supplied to the motor 18 by operation of either the key-switch or a simple switch provided inside the space protected by the door 1.

FIGURE 20 a modied slide 60 is shown withva reinforcing guide-plate 61 and a shoe 52, and these three parts are connected by at least two countersunk screws 63. The slide 60 is supported on flanges 64 of the rail 8 and is pivotally conected to a connecting rod 10 by means of a pin 65 (FIGURE 19). It comprises a lever 66 (FIGURES 19 and 2l) which is capable of pivoting about a pin 67 on an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the reinforcing guideplate 61. The lever 66 has a guide 68 which slidably receives a pin 69 having a head 70, with the axis oi the pin being perpendicular to the plane containing the guideplate 61, and the head 70 prevents the lever 66 from sliding in the longitudinal direction of the pin. Movement of the lever 66 is limited by the length of the guide 68. The lever 66 bears on a pin 71 integral with an arm 72 of a lever 74 which, in turn, in capable of pivotal movement about a xed axis 73 provided by a pivot 75 integral with the slide 60 and extending in a direction parallei to the axis of the pin 67. The other arm 76 of the lever has av flat recessed part 77 terminating in a notch 8. The recessed part 77 supports the lower end of a helical spring 79 whose longitudinai axis extends in a direction parallel to the guide 68 anl a perpendicular to the longitudinai axis of the rail 8. r[he upper end 80 of the spring 79 bears upon a hollow screw 81 received in a tapped part 82 in the body of the slide 60.

The proiile of the upper edge of the lever 66 comprises two slopes 83 and 84 converging towards a recess having two steep sloping side walls 87 and 88 joined together by a bottom portion 86. In operation, when the stud 12 integral with the band 14 is moved along the rail 8 as described above, the stud 12 enters from one side or the other into the space between lower face 85 of the shoe 62 and one or other of the slopes 83 and 84. The dimensions are such that the stud 12 engages the two surfaces either 85 and 83, or 85 and 84, so that continued movement of the stud 12 along the surfaces due to the band 14 effects a movement of the lever 66 until the stud 12 is received in die recess 86, 87 and 88 in which it remains held. The lever 66 is urged against the stud 12 by means of the spring 79, the lever 74 and the pin 71.

The tension of the spring 79 may be adjusted by adjusting the hollow screw 81 so that the force applied by the lever 66 against the stud 12 is also adjusted.

The slide 60 shown in FIGURES i9, 20 and 21 performs the same function as the slide 9 shown in previous iigures, but has the advantage of including means for adjusting the resilient action of the blade against the stud.

It will be understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the precise example described above and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, numerous modifications being capable of application both to the form and to the nature of each of the constituent members and to their interrelationship. Moreover, the device according to the invention can be likewise used for the control of windows, sliding windows, shutters, curtains,

elevators, as well as for the control of translation movements in machine tools and the like.

I claim:

l. An operating device for operating a counterpoise member, such as a gate or door, including a frame, a guide mounted on the frame, slide means movably mounted 0n the guide, means for connecting the slide means to the counterpoise member, drive means a exible metal band operably connected to the drive means, means connecting the band to the slide means so that when the drive means is operated, the band moves the slide means via said last named connecting means along the guide for operating the counterpoise member, said guide including at least two spaced apart elements dening a space therebetween for receiving said metal band, and the dimensions of the space allowing movement of the band yet preventing buckling of the band thereby enabling the band to Operate under thrust and drag.

2. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 1 in which the means connecting the band to the slider means comprises a stud integral with the band, and a resilient abutment on the slider means, and resilient abutment having a projection constituted by two convergent sloping portions so arranged that the stud rests on one sloping portion when the band movement is in one direction and on the other sloping portion when the band movement is in the other direction.

3. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 1 in which the means connecting the band to the slider means includes a stud integral with the band, and a resilient abutment on the slider means, said abutment having a recess adapated to be engaged by the stud thereby effecting a temporary connection by deformation of the abutment by the stud.

4. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 1 in which said drive means includes an endless screw and said metal band is provided with a plurality of slots engageable by the thread of the screw for moving the band relative to the guide when the endless screw is rotated.

5. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 4 in which said guide is provided with a drum on which said band can be wound without permanent deformation.

6. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 1 including a stop at each end for limiting the travel of the slide means, an electric motor for the drive means, and each stop comprising a first member blocking the slide means and a second member for deactivating the electric motor, said second member being actuated after the rst member for deactivating the electric motor.

7. The operating device for operating a counterpoise member as claimed in claim 1 in which said slide means is provided with a recess adapted to receive a pin, a resilient adjustable abutment on the slide means on the side remote from the pin against which the pin rests, and said abutment exerting on the slide means a force opposite to that exerted by the pin whereby it is possible to modify the value of the force which the pin must transmit to the slide means for causing effacement of the abutment leading to a separation between the slide means and the band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,553 2/1956 Brown 49-199 X 2,753,179 7/1956 Hahn 49-199 X 3,193,274 7/1965 Miller 49-199 X V J. KARL BELL, Primary Examinei 

